Oakland Sheriff Urges Congress for Local Drone Counterauthority Amid Rising Threats

On May 25, 2025, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard pressed U.S. lawmakers in Washington to grant state and local law enforcement the authority to counter hostile drones, highlighting growing safety risks at public events. In an interview with The Detroit News, Bouchard, alongside U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Bruce Township), emphasized the urgency of addressing mysterious drone activities reported across New Jersey and other regions last year, which pose threats to airports, concerts, and football games.

A Call for Legislative Action

Sheriff Bouchard’s plea comes as drone-related incidents escalate, with current federal restrictions limiting local intervention. The proposed Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act—supported by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township)—would empower the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ), alongside local law enforcement, to disable threatening drones.

However, the bill has yet to pass Congress, stalling progress. Bouchard stated, “Give us the authority to intervene that they have held only to federal agencies,” underscoring the need for local control during events like the NFL Draft in Detroit, where his team monitored airspace but lacked intervention powers.

Real-World Drone Threats

Bouchard highlighted specific incidents to illustrate the stakes. During the 2024 Dream Cruise in Michigan, which spans a 13-mile stretch and attracts 1.3 million people, his team recorded 96 illegal drone interventions. He warned of catastrophic risks, noting, “Three of those went past my crude aircraft to 1,480 feet. Had that hit the cockpit of our helicopter, you’d have a catastrophic crash over the Dream Cruise into the crowd.” He also referenced a Drone Incident at a Green Day concert at Comerica Park, where attendees panicked and rushed off the stage, though the drone was operated by a hobbyist, not a malicious actor.

The sheriff drew parallels to global threats, citing a thwarted ISIS drone attack at Warren’s TACOM facility and Mexican cartels using drones to attack a general’s convoy. These examples underscore drones’ potential as weapons, especially as they become widely accessible.

“You can buy these things off the shelf and weaponize them very cheaply,” Bouchard noted, urging lawmakers to act swiftly.

Balancing Safety and Civil Liberties

Opponents of the legislation, as noted in The Detroit News, worry about First Amendment and civil liberties violations, fearing government overreach in drone surveillance. Bouchard addressed these concerns, asserting that interventions would only occur when drones break laws or pose immediate threats.

“The drone would never be interfered with because you’re watching us. It would only be interfered with if it was breaking the law or was an immediate threat,” he clarified.

He emphasized that local law enforcement, already equipped with body and dash cameras, isn’t focused on surveillance but on safety, especially at high-risk events like University of Michigan and Spartan Stadium games.

Legislative Challenges and Next Steps

Rep. McClain acknowledged the bill’s slow progress, stating, “We’ve had a couple bills on it, but it gets stalled because they get hung up on one little thing.”

Despite bipartisan support from figures like Sen. Rand Paul, now chair of the Homeland Security Committee, the legislation faces hurdles. Bouchard stressed the need for partnership, not just funding, saying, “Some of it, it’s not money. It’s partnership or authorization or integration of effort.” With incidents like the attempted pre-op surveillance of a presidential candidate in Michigan—where a drone operator scouted a stage location for a potential attack—the urgency for local counter-drone authority continues to grow, pushing Congress to act before threats escalate further.

Photos courtesy of DJI